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4. ASAC_1332

Description

Geological evidence from the Framnes Mountain, East Antarctica, will reveal changes in ice thickness from the Last Glacial Maximum 20,000 years ago to the present. A computer simulation of changes in ice thickness will show how the ice sheet interacts with climate and sea level, which is important for predicting future changes.

Cosmogenic isotope samples were taken from 29 locations including Welch Island (1 sample), Mawson area (1 sample), Mt Henderson area (7 samples), and the northern (13 samples), central (3 samples) and southern (2 samples) Masson ranges. No samples were taken from the Casey Range or the David Range (with the exception of the Mt Hordern area (2 samples). Mapping of the glacial geology was undertaken - few trimlines were evident and moraines where present consisted dominantly of local lithologies. The glacial clasts sampled for cosmogenic isotope analysis were felsic erratics perched on or near to stable hilltop surfaces, with clear sky exposure (conditions ideal for cosmogenic isotope dating).

Sediment analyses to support interpretations of the glacial history are being undertaken in 2004-2005.

The fields in this dataset are:

Site
Location
Altitude
Erratic
Rock
Gravel
Sand
Salt
Schmidt Hammer
Weathering

Quality

Cosmogenic isotope analyses - The samples taken were almost uniformly of a high quality (conditions ideal for cosmogenic isotope dating). Details of the dating undertaken will be posted once sample processing has occurred and accelerator targets have been run.

Sedimentology - will consist of grain size analyses (Malvern laser sizer and settling tube), elemental analyses (XRF) and clay fraction analysis (XRD) to be made public domain following thesis production at start of 2006.

Surface weathering - data were collected according to the Moriwaki scheme.

Access

These data are publicly available from the provided URL.

Temporal Coverages

• Start date: 2001-11-15 - Stop date: 2002-02-28

Spatial Coverages

Science Keywords

• EARTH SCIENCE > CRYOSPHERE > GLACIERS/ICE SHEETS > GLACIERS
• EARTH SCIENCE > CRYOSPHERE > SNOW/ICE > ICE DEPTH/THICKNESS
• EARTH SCIENCE > PALEOCLIMATE > LAND RECORDS > GLACIATION

Use Constraints

This data set conforms to the CCBY Attribution License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Please follow instructions listed in the citation reference at the provided http://data.aad.gov.au/aadc/metadata/citation.cfm?entry_id=ASAC_1332 when using these data.